help me healthify...

godblessourhome

...poor man's pie.

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar (brown or cane)
1 cup milk (any kind, including canned)
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 can fruit, including juice

the calorie count is 2916 for an 8x8 pan (using wheat flour, brown sugar, 2% milk and a can of peaches). if i cut it into 9 squares, it's 324 calories. if i cut it into 12 squares, it is 243. if i cut it into 16 squares, it's 182. i make it about 3 times a year for a quick and easy breakfast for my kids, but i'd love to make it 'healthier'.

ideas?

becoming_a_new_me

...poor man's pie.

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar (brown or cane)
1 cup milk (any kind, including canned)
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 can fruit, including juice

the calorie count is 2916 for an 8x8 pan (using wheat flour, brown sugar, 2% milk and a can of peaches). if i cut it into 9 squares, it's 324 calories. if i cut it into 12 squares, it is 243. if i cut it into 16 squares, it's 182. i make it about 3 times a year for a quick and easy breakfast for my kids, but i'd love to make it 'healthier'.

ideas?

Instead of regular sugar, try stevia or the splenda brown sugar blend. For the butter, use applesauce, and use a healthy non-sweetened can of fruit. Also you can sub out steel cut oats for the flour and it would be really healthy! Throw in some flax seed for a nutty and healthful flavor!

giggitygoo

Swap the butter for unsweetened applesauce

Or use sweetened applesauce and cut the sugar content in half to 1/2cup

Use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup oats

Use organic no sugar added fruit, or fresh + 2 tablespoons honey

Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to help lighten it up. It's going to become a bit more dense with the swaps.

melodyg

Mmm... now I want this!

I have a similar recipe, which basically doubles the ingredients (except the butter) and uses a 9x13 pan. (It does state that if you are halving the recipe for an 8x8 pan to NOT half the butter amount). So... unless having double the amount of food means you will be tempted to eat more, one easy way to cut some calories is to double the recipe but not the butter?

(No, I have no idea why you can't just cut the butter in half... I just know I have recipes from my grandmother's generation on both sides that say not to do it so I am not going to argue!)

When I plugged in the recipe for 2 cups flour/sugar/nonfat milk, 1 stick of butter, and 2 cans of fruit (I use light peaches in juice) it came to 241 calories for 1/16th of the 9x13 pan. I would think you could cut back to 1 1/2 cups of sugar and not sacrifice much taste as well...

I like the idea above to use some oatmeal instead of flour as well, but I think that would change the consistency considerably too so just depends on what kind of dessert you want!

godblessourhome

great substitutions! i love the applesauce idea. thanks!

becoming_a_new_me

great substitutions! i love the applesauce idea. thanks!

When you change the receipe to the following ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 c. stevia
1 cup Silk unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Applesauce
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 can fruit, including juice (I used peaches in this calculation)
Cinnamon to taste
put in an 8 x 8 pan...serves 9

You end up with a healthy version with the following stats:
Per Serving:
73 Calories
14 Carbs
<1 Fat
<1 Protien
<2 Fiber
20 Sodium